Senecio plant named ‘Sene Niregoku’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Senecio plant named ‘Sene Niregoku’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with ray florets that are white in color with dark purplish red-colored apices.

Botanical designation: Senecio cruentus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SENE NIREGOKU’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR &APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

The Inventor and Inventor/Applicant and Assignee, Suntory FlowersLimited of Tokyo, Japan, assert that no publications nor advertisementsrelating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred morethan one year prior to the effective filing date of this application.Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/orAssignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exceptionunder 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to thefiling date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Senecioplant, botanically known as Senecio cruentus, and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Sene Niregoku’.

The new Senecio plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new upright, uniformly mounding andvigorous Senecio plants with a freely-branching habit, early floweringand numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Senecio plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventor in March, 2016 of a proprietary selection of Seneciocruentus identified as code designation S12-78-Tb1 , not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Seneciocruentus identified as code designation S12-106A-7, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Senecio plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in February, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Senecio plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan since October, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this newSenecio plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Senecio have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sene Niregoku’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sene Niregoku’ as a new and distinct Senecioplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Daisy-type inflorescences with ray florets that are white in        color with dark purplish red-colored apices.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Senecio differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in disc floret color as plants of the newSenecio have purplish red-colored disc florets whereas plants of thefemale parent selection have deep blue-colored disc florets.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Senecio differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in disc floret color as plants of the new Seneciohave purplish red-colored disc florets whereas plants of the male parentselection have deep blue-colored disc florets. In addition, plants ofthe new Senecio flower earlier than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Senecio can also be compared to plants of Seneciocruentus ‘Sene Gosigore’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,255. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Senecio differ from plantsof ‘Sene Gosigore’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio are taller than plants of ‘Sene        Gosigore’.    -   2. Plants of the new Senecio are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Sene Gosigore’.    -   3. Plants of the new Senecio flower earlier than plants of ‘Sene        Gosigore’.    -   4. Plants of the new Senecio have smaller inflorescences than        plants of ‘Sene Gosigore’.    -   5. Ray florets of plants of the new Senecio are white in color        with dark purplish red-colored apices whereas ray florets of        plants of ‘Sene Gosigore’ are solid white in color.    -   6. Disc florets of plants of the new Senecio are purplish red in        color whereas disc florets of plants of ‘Sene Gosigore’ are        violet blue in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Senecio plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Senecio plant.

The photograph at the top of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sene Niregoku’ grownin a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the photographic sheet (FIG. 2) is aclose-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Sene Niregoku’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the spring in 24-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practicestypical of commercial Senecio production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 10° C. and night temperatures averaged5° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants. Plants were six months old when the photographs andthe detailed description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Senecio cruentus ‘Sene Niregoku’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio            cruentus identified as code designation S12-78-Tb1, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio            cruentus identified as code designation S12-106A-7, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at            temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 20°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounded            plant habit; daisy-type inflorescences positioned above the            foliar plane; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit            with about eight primary branches each with numerous            secondary branches.        -   Plant height.—About 36.3 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 43 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About            4.1 mm. Internode length: About 3.2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Close to 144B.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 6.4 cm. Width: About 7.7 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Crenate to serrate; moderately            undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Sparsely            pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely            pubescent, rough; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate;            reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close            to 137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A.            Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B;            venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 137D; venation, close to 138C. Leaf            petioles: Length: About 4.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescences with elliptic-shaped            ray florets; inflorescences arising from upper leaf axils            and positioned above the foliar plane on strong peduncles;            disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum;            inflorescences face mostly upright to slightly outwardly;            freely flowering habit with about 84 inflorescences            developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants of            the new Senecio begin flowering about 22 weeks after            planting; plants flower continuously from winter to late            spring in Japan.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two weeks            on the plant; inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About            7.4 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 145C; towards the            apex, close to N79B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.1 cm. Depth (height):            About 1 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm.        -   Receptacles.—Height: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Color: Close to 139D.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 13 per            inflorescence arranged in a single whorl. Length: About            1.9 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:            Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire, not undulate.            Aspect: Initially upright, then horizontal; flat. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Close to NN155C; towards the            apex, close to N79C. When opening, lower surface: Close to            157D; towards the apex, close to N79C. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to NN155C; towards the apex, close to N79C;            color does not change with subsequent development. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to NN155C; towards the apex,            close to N79C; midvein, close to 145C; color does not change            with subsequent development.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 95. Length:            About 8.3 mm. Diameter, at apex: About 1.6 mm. Diameter, at            base: About 0.9 mm. Shape: Tubular; apex dentate,            five-pointed. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature:            Proximally, close to 157C and distally, close to 71A. Color,            mature: Proximally, close to 157C and distally, close to            72A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 13 per            inflorescence arranged in a single whorl. Length: About            4.8 mm. Width: About 1.8 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Narrowly acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 137C. Color, lower            surface: Close to 138B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Filament length: About 1.2 mm. Filament color: Close            to 149D. Anther size: About 1.2 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape:            Narrowly ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to 72B. Pollen            amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 14B. Gynoecium:            Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About            6.9 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 72B.            Style color: Close to 157D. Ovary color: Close to 145C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Senecio.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Senecio have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Senecio plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Senecio have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Senecio plant named ‘Sene Niregoku’as illustrated and described.